Karachi voters’ turnout in 2018 polls lower than the 1988 elections

KARACHI: Pakistan’s economic hub and the largest city –Karachi – presumably seems to have some carry-over impacts from political happenings over the last few years, resulting in the second lowest voters turnout in the 2018 polls of its election history.

The average turnout of Karachi constituencies is 40.4% comparing to 55 percent in 2013.

The highest voter turnout is witnessed in constituencies won by the PPP, while, in contrast, the lowest turnout is seen in the constituencies bagged by the PTI, which are 14 out of 21.

It’s interesting to note that the voter turnout in the constituency (NA-249) where PTI leader Faisal Vawda defeated PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif with a thin margin of 718 votes, could only obtain 10.6 percent of the total registered votes of the constituency. Vawda got 35,344 votes out of 331,430 votes registered in the constituency.

Similarly in NA-241, Korangi where PTI candidate Faheem Khan emerged victorious, the turnout was only 36.2, the lowest among all Karachi constituencies. Out of total 314,450 votes PTI candidate secured just 26,714 votes which are only 8.5 percent of the total registered votes there.

Likewise, NA-250 was won by PTI’s Ataullah, but the turnout was 37.4 percent and the winning candidate only obtained 9 percent of the total votes. The constituency has total 400,675 registered votes.

However, the constituency (NA-243) where PTI chief Imran Khan contested from saw a comparatively good turnout of 41 percent and he won with 91,358 votes.

In NA-246, PTI’s Abdul Shakoor Shad won with only 9.8 percent of the total votes. He obtained 52,750 votes out of 536,688 registered votes. Turnout in his constituency remained 39.58 percent.

The highest turnout was recorded in NA-236 which is 50.4 percent where PPPP’s Jam Abdul Karim won the seat. He obtained 28 percent of the total 233,028 votes. PPPP’s Syed Rafiullah was winner in NA-238 where the turnout was second highest (44 percent) in Karachi.